Skywriting timing apparatus and method



March 28, 1944. Y 1-, REMEY SKY WRITING TIMING APPARATUS AND METHODFiled Nov. '7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B Is 10 unwanted,

lfwzzzrzew March 28, 1944. J. T. REMEY SKY WRITING TIMING APPARATUS ANDMETHOD Filed Nov. 7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N\ am Patented Mar. 28, 1944UNITED STATES, PATENT. OFFICE SKYWRITING TIMING APPARATUS AND METHOD IJohn T. Remey, New: York,,N. Y. Application November 7, 1940, Serial No.354,149; 1

17 Claims." (01. 40- 127.:1')

This invention is a method of and apparatus for forming letters andsymbols in the air by means of contiguous and substantially parallelsmoke trails.

In my prior Patent No., 1,716,794,, dated; June 11, 1929, there isdisclosed a method and apparatus for forming letters and symbols in theair by means of parallel smoke trails, and the present invention is animprovement over the invention of that patent. I

In my copending applications, Case A, filed November 7, 1940, Serial No.364,747, and Case B filed November 7, 1940, Serial No. 364,748, there isthe air by means of a plurality of airplanes flying in contiguous andsubstantially parallel paths, the smoke releasing mechanism in each ofthe planesbeing controlled so a to determine the length and placement ofthe smoke trails.

Both of the foregoing applications involve the sending of signals to theplane from-the ground, or from an airplane; Case B also involves the useof a patterned record. 1

disclosed the formation-of letters orsymbols in In the presentinvention, the smoke signals are formed by a plurality of airplanesflying in contiguous and substantially parallel paths and the necessarycoordinationbetween the several planes is achieved by a patterned recordin each plane, driven by a settable timing mechanism, which can be setto start all the patterned records in operation at the same time. A

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the same patterned recordis provided for each plane. Each record is'driven by a constant speeddrive and presettable timing mechanism is provided for throwing thedriving means for the record into operation at exactly the same time inall of the planes. While the patterned "record in each plane ispreferably a duplicate, each record is divided into a number of channelsor zones, corresponding to the number of planes, and each plane isprovided with a variably positionable pick-up means, for actuating smoketrail releasing mechanism in accordance with indicia in or on therecord, located in the particular channel or zone of the record assignedto that plane.

The main features of the invention having been thus described. furtheradvantages of structure and cperationwill be apparent from theaccompanying drawings, in which: l is a perspective view of a pluralityof the practice of this invention;

Fig. 2 is .a' plan view of a portion of the patterned .rec'ord; i' I P 1Fig. 2a is a fragmentary plan view of a por tion of the patternedrecord'showing a modification; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view to show therelationship of the main operating features of the present invention; I

I Fig. 4 is a view, largely diagrammatic, showing mechanism for drivingthe. patterned record and timing mechanism for putting it in opera:tion;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the timing mechanism showninFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end'view of .the record drive shown in Fig. 4; I

Fig. 7 isa'po'rtion of the record drive of Fig. 4, for.manual'operatiom;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the patterned record connected foroperatinga visible" signal; and I I I I I I f Fig. 9 is a diagrammaticview showing the record connected for operating an audible signal. I IReferring now-to these drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts, Fig.1 shows a plurality of airplanes 2, flyingin, contiguous and substantially parallel paths and which have releasedsmoke trails t to form the letter E.

Each plane is provided with a patterned record 6 shown in Fig, 2, whichmay be a strip of paper or other insulating material continuously driventoward the right, Fig. 2. If nine planes are to be used for a particularsky-writing job, the record 6, which is preferably duplicated for eachplane, is provided with a number. of longitudinally extending channelsor zones 3, equal to the number of planes. The number of planes may, ofcourse, be varied as desired.

In each plane there is provided a variably positionable brush [0,carried by a collar i2, slidable on a'transversely extending bar Hi, thecol-' lar l2 being settable on the bar by a set screw it so as tocooperate with certain of the slots [8,

namely, these slots which are located in one, and only one, of thelongitudinal channels 8, corresponding to the position in the formationoccupied by the plane in question. In other words, if nine planes arebeing used, the middle plane would have its brush it set to cooperatewith and respond to the indicia, that is, the slots H3, in the middle,zone of therec ord, and the other planes of the formation would havetheir respective brushes I set in accordance with their position in theformation.

Instead of nine substantially identical records, having nine channels orzones, nine individual records could be used, each specially designedfor the plane in which it is to be used.

The record 6, instead of being of the type having slots in it, could beof any other desired type, as, for example, a record such as is used informing traveling lettersin electric signs, that is to say, the belt orrecord 6 could be provided with raised letters, either metal or not, andas these letters travel along the belt they would close circuits throughbrushes entirely analogous to the brushes H], for forming smoke trailsin accordance with that part of the letter positioned in the appropriatelongitudinal channel 8. This type of traveling circuit closing device,for closing circuits in accordance with a pattern in the form oftraveling letters, is well known and is shown, for example, in thefollowing patents: 1,189,419, Bach, 1916; 1,193,138, Hanson, 1916;1,478,691, Bagge, 1923; 1,717,370, Coleman, 1929.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the brush [0 is connected by wires 22 througha source of power 19 to a solenoid 20, the circuit being completed bywire 22 connected to the drum 24 over which the record 6 moves.

The armature of the solenoid 20 is connecte by the link 24 to the handle26 of a smoke releasing valve 28 in smoke releasing pipe 30, so thatwhen a circuit is closed through the brush I0, solenoid 26 and drum 24,a smoke trail is formed, the length of which is proportional to thecorresponding part of the record 6 with which the brush [0 iscooperating.

The record 6, as shown in Fig. 6, may be unreeled from a reel 32,,thenled over the drum 24 and wound up on thespring driven take-up reel 34.

The record 6 is driven by a constant speed drive. such for example asthe clockwork 36 driving a shaft 38 connected to a resilient collar 40for absorbing intermittent movement of the clockwork. The resilientcollar drives the shaft 42, carrying the flywheel 43; on shaft 42 issplined the longitudinally slidable clutch member 44, adapted to bear indriving relationship against the clutch face 46 on one end of th drum24.

As has been stated, it is important that the drives for the record ineach plane be started at exactly the same time, this being necessary forthe proper coordination of the smoke trails. This simultaneous startingof the various records is achieved by the timing mechanism which willnow be described.

A clock 52 is connected through a resilient sleeve 52 to a shaft 54 onwhich is a flywheel 56 for steadying it, shaft 54 having splined on it aclutch member 58 adapted to be thrown in driving relationship with thedisc "66 which may be designated a minute disc, inasmuch as it isconnected to rotate once a minute. Clutch member 58 is actuated by anarm 62 pivoted at 64 and held by a spring 66 in two positions, one inwhich the member 58 is driving disc 65 and the other in which it is notdriving disc 80.

Minute disc 60 is mounted on a shaft 68 on which is the gear It! meshingwith gear disc 12 which rotates with a gear 14 to drive gear which isfixed to a shaft on which is mounted the hour disc 18, the gears justdescribed being in 60 to 1 ratio, so that hour disc 18 rotates once perhour.

and fifths of seconds and is provided with a starting notch 80. The hourdisc 181s calibrated in hours and minutes and is provided with astarting notch 82.

Cooperating with notch 80 is a spring mounted detent 84 which is mountedon a spring arm 8'! and carries a contact 65 adapted, when detent 84drops into the notch 80, to close a circuit through contact 86. The arms81 and 81 that hold contacts 85 and -86 are mounted in a pivoted block88 so that they may be swung about pivot 89, against the limit stud 89a,into and out of operative relation with the disc 60.

Cooperating with the hour disc 78 is a similar detent and cooperatingcontacts and the corresponding parts are indicated by primed referencecharacters.

The contacts 85 and 86 and 85' and 86' are connected in series with asource of power 911 and with a solenoid 92 so that when detents 64 andB4 are in their respective starting notches a circuit is closed throughthe solenoid 92 which actuates an arm 94 for throwing the clutch members44 and 46 into engagement to start the rec ord. A spring 95 connected toarm 94 holds the clutch faces 44 and in positive engagement ordisengagement.

The timing mechanism just described operates as follows: Suppose it isdesired to start the records 6 in all the planes at noon. The planes areon the ground, the clockworks 36 and 5|] are running, clutches 44 and 58are disengaged, and detents 84 and 84 disengaged. Suppose the starter,having an accurate watch, comes to a particular plane a minute or twobefore 11:40. He then sets dial 18 on calibration 41. This leaves dial66 on some figure, say calibration 45, for example. These settings meansthat in 19 minutes and 15 seconds, 84 and 84 will be in their respectivenotches, and a circuit closed. The starter, having thus set the dials,scrutinizes his watch, and when his watch reads 11-41-45, that is, 41minutes and 45 seconds past eleven oclock, he throws handle 62, putsclutch 58 in driving engagement with the discs and 78. This starts thedials 60 and 1 8, and at exactly 12 oclock detents 84 and 84 will beseated in their respective notches, and so the patterned record isstarted at exactly twelve o'clock.

The starter then proceeds to the next plane and sets dial [8 of themechanism in that plane on, say, calibration 43. This leaves dial 65, onsay, calibration 45, for example. This means that in 17 minutes and 15seconds, the starting notches will reach their respective detents and '1the circuit through 92 will be closed. When The minute disc 60 iscalibrated in seconds 7 the starters watch reads 11-43-45, that is, 43minutes and 45 seconds past eleven oclock, he throws in clutch 58, andthe timing mechanism Will close the circuit through 92 at exactly twelveo'clock to start the record in that plane at that instant.

This procedure is repeated .for the other planes, the elapsed timeintervals of course bein successively shorter as the noon or otherstarting hour approaches.

The presettable timing mechanism described is illustrative, and itshould be understood that other timing means may be used, that hassufiicient accuracy so that all the records will be started with anerror of a second or less.

The records are thus started simultaneously. This actual starting may bewhile the planes are still on the ground, or in the air. The starting ofthe patterned record does not mean that smoke trail formation starts atthe same time. The record 6 is preferably blank for a suitable distanceat the beginning, as will be described below in connection with Fig.2a,so as to give the planes time to get off the ground and attain thealtitude and position desired for the formation of the smoke trails.

I Another and a simpler way to start the records 6 is by sending anaudible or visible signal to the several pilots, preferably while theships are. on the ground, ready to take oil. With the pilots atattention, as by preliminary warning signals, a shot is fired or a lightis flashed, and; each pilot, upon perceiving such signal, instantlythrows a lever 9%., Fig. 7, which, like lever 94, engages clutch faces44 and 46 and startshis record in operation. The use of a light is preferred, because of the slower travel of sound, but the error due to theuse of a shot is, at most, very small. The reaction times of the severalpilots should be nearly the same for satisfactory results.

In the invention so far described the smoke valve 23 has beenmechanically actuated, as by the solenoid 29. In another aspect of theinvention, however, a patterned record, like the record 6 alreadydescribed, may be used, but the actual manipulation of the smoke valvehandie 26 may be manual, either by the pilot, or by an operator in theplane with the pilot. manual operation is in response to a signal,perceived by the pilot or operator, the making of such signal beingcontrolled by indicia on the patterned record. In this aspect of theinvention, and referring to Figures 8 and 9 the brush I is in circuitthrough wires 22' with a battery I9 and a light 96. When a circuit isclosed by the brush ID cooperating with the patterned record 5, thesignal light 96 is lighted, and thereafter extinguished, in accordancewith indicia on the record. The pilot or operator, when he sees thelight 96 light, turns on the smoke valve, and when it is extinguished heturns it off. This operation may perhaps require some training, and aquick response on the part of the operator. In Figure 9 an analogouscircuit is disclosed, the signal in this case, however, being a signalbuzzer 98, the pilot or operator opening the smoke valve 28 bymanipulation of the handle 26 while the buzzer is in operation, andturning off the smoke as soon as the buzzer stops.

Another way for achieving simultaneous starting of smoke trailproduction under control of the patterned records is shown in Figure 2a,which method has important advantages because of its simplicity. Withthis method, each pat terned record is provided with a blank leaderportion 99, which is calibrated in intervals of time, preferably minutesand fraction of minutes. These calibrations may, for example, be notchesIII!) in the edge of the record, which cooperate with a marking pointerIBI. These notches are so spaced that it takes one minute for the recordto move the distance between two adjacent notches. The starter, whenusing this method, arrives at a particular plane, say about eight andone-half minutes before the take-off. He moves the record manually untilthe calibration indicating eight minutes is directly under the pointerIM, and when his watch indicates exactly eight minutes before thetake-oil, he throws the handle 94a so that the clockwork starts to drivethe record. He then moves on to the next plane, sets the calibrationindicating seven minutes under the pointer ,IUI in that This I plane,and at seven minutes before the take-cit he throws the handle 94a, thusstarting that record. He thus sets the records in all the planes inoperation, the differences of the setting times being'compensated, aspointed out above, by the starter moving the record along a littlefarther in each case. At .the time the records in the several planesreach the pointer I02, using a shot or a light flash for a startingsignal; the planes all take 01f, the record being provided with afurther leader portion I93 01; such a length as'to give the severalplanes suflicient time to attain the necessary altitude and position information to start making smoke trails, whichehappens when the leadingedges of the first of the slots l8, indicated by the line I8, reachespointer I02 which is placed on the same transverse line as thetransverse line defined by the points of contact of the brushes Ill withcylinder 24. It is not necessary, however, that the planes take oilsimultaneously. They could take off in succession, the important thing.for the pilots to keep in mindbeing to see that they are in properformation when the line It reaches pointer I02, because all theplanesstart forming smoke trails at that instant.

The calibrated record, provided with a leader apparatus for formingletters or symbols in the air by means of oontigouus and substantiallyparallel smoke trails, where the length and placement of the smoketrails are controlled through the use of a patterned record driven by aconstant speed mechanism. These records may be put into operationsimultaneously by a presettable timing device, or manually by the operator perceiving a signal and throwing an operating lever.

The patterned record, thus put into operation by the timing device or bythe manually operated lever, assumes control of the smoke releasingoperation. This control is direct as by means of the solenoid 20, forexample, or indirect as by the operations of the signals 96 or 98, theactual operation of the smoke valve being manual as determined by suchsignals.

Instead of a light 98 or a buzzer 98, a tactile signal could be used,the operator turning on the smoke when he feels the signal, and turningit off when he no longer feels it.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described insome detail, it should be understood that these embodiments areillustrative and not restrictive of the invention, and that theinvention may be carried out in other ways.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for using in forming constituent parts of letters orsymbols in the air by means of smoke trails, comprising means, includinga control valve, for releasing a smoke trail, a longitudinally zonedmovable patterned record wherein each zone forms part of the record. foruse in controlling the operation of said control valve, a variablypositionable device, movable laterally with respect to said record, forcooperating with any desired zone of said record, for forming smoketrails in accordance with the pattern of the record, and settable timingmeans for starting said patterned record at a predetermined time. I

2. Apparatus for use in forming constituent parts of letters or symbolsin the air by means of smoke trails, comprising means, includingacontrol valve, for releasing a smoke trail, a longitudinally zonedmovable patterned record, wherein each zone forms part of the record,means including an element movable laterally and variably positionableto cooperate with a selected longitudinal zone of said patterned recordand operatively interconnecting the patterned record and the controlvalve for forming smoke trails in accordance with the pattern of therecord, and settable timing means for starting said record at apredetermined time.

3. Apparatus for use in forming letters or symbols in the air by meansof smoke trails, comprising smoke trail forming means, a movablepatterned record, settable timing means for starting said record at apredetermined time, and signal means operatively connected with thepatterned record for actuation thereby, for indicating the times tooperate the smoke trail forming means.

4. Apparatus for use in forming letters or symb'ols in the air by meansof smoke trails, comprising smoke trail forming means, a patternedrecord, divided into longitudinal zones a variably positionable device,settable for cooperation only with a selected longitudinal zone of saidrecord, in accordance with its positioning, for use in con trolling saidsmoke trail forming means, to form smoke trails in accordance with theindicia in said selected longitudinal zone of the record, and settabletiming means for causing said record to start the formation of smoketrails at a predetermined time.

5. Apparatus for use in forming letters or symbols in the air,comprising smoke trail forming means, a patterned record, divided intolongitudinal zones means for driving said record, settable means forstarting said record in operation, a variably positionable device,settable for cooperation only with a selected longitudinal zone of therecord, and means interconnecting the smoke trail forming means and saidvariably positionable device, for forming smoke trails in accordancewith indicia on said selected longitudinal zone of the record.

6. The method of forming letters and symbols in smoke comprising thesteps of assigning to each of a plurality of airplanes particularportions of successive letters and symbols, flying said airplanes insubstantially parallel paths, releasing smoke trails from saidairplanes, the length and placement of which trails are controlled by apatterned record in each airplane, said records all being started at thesame time by presettable timing means, said smoke trails beingcontiguous and parallel and cooperating to form successive, individualletters or symbols.

7. The method of forming smoke trails comprising the steps of flying aplurality of airplanes in substantially parallel paths, releasing smoketrails from said airplanes, the length and placement of which trails arecontrolled by a series lof substantially identical patterned records,one for each airplane, each plane however releasing smoke trails only inaccordance with a particular portion of the record assigned to thatplane, said records all being started at the same time by presettabletiming means.

8. An apparatus for forming smoke trails by means of an airplane, thecombination of a patterned record, means cooperating with said patternedrecord for controlling the formation of smoke trails, a constant speeddrive for said record, calibrations on said record indicating intervalsof time, and pointer means,- normally fixed with relation to saidpatterned record and cooperating with said time-indicating calibrations,for indicating the time interval that must elapse before smoke trailformation starts.

9. An apparatus for forming smoke trails by means of an airplane, thecombination of a patterned record for controlling the formation of thesmoke trails, smoke trail releasing mechanism, contact elementscooperating with indicia on the patterned record for controlling saidsmoke trail releasing mechanism means for driving said patterned recordtime-indicating calibrations carried by said patterned record,andpointer means, normally fixed with relation to said pat terned recordand cooperating with said timeindicating calibrations, for indicatingthe time interval that must elapse before smoke trail formation starts.

10. An apparatus for forming smoke trails by means of an airplane, thecombination of a patterned record for controlling the formation of thesmoke trails, smoke trail releasing mechanism, contact elementscooperating with indicia on the patterned record for controlling saidsmoke trail releasing mechanism and presettable timing means comprisinga constant speed drive for the record, time-indicating calibrationsthereon for controlling the time of starting the formation of the smoketrails, and. pointer means, normally fixed with relation to saidpatterned record and cooperating with said time-indicating calibrations,for indicating the time interval that must elapse before smoke trailformation starts.

11. An apparatus of the character described, a patterned record forcontrolling the formation of smoke trails, smoke trail releasingmechanism, contact elements cooperating with indicia on the patternedrecord for controlling said smoke trail releasing mechanism the recordbeing provided with time-calibrated leader portion for controlling theinstant of starting the smoke trail formation, and pointer means,normally fixed with relation to said patterned record and 00- operatingwith the time calibrations on said leader portion, for indicating thetime interval that must elapse before smoke trail formation starts.

12. The method of coordinating the formation of smoke trails by pluralairplanes, each of which is provided with a movable patterned record forcontrolling the release of smoke for the smoke trails, each such recordhaving a time-calibrated leader portion, comprising the steps ofassigning to each airplane a certain part of a letter or symbol, placingsuch airplane in formation with the other planes in a positioncorresponding to its part of the letter or symbol, successively startingsaid records in operation, and selecting a length of leader on eachrecord in accordance with the interval of time desired to elapse beforesmoke trail formation actually starts, the smoke trails released by theseveral airplanes being contiguous and parallel and cooperating to formsuccessive individual letters or symbols.

13. The method of forming letters or symbols in the air by parallelsmoke trails, comprising the steps of assigning to'each of a pluralityof airplanes particular portions of successive letters and symbols,flying said airplanes in substantially parallel paths, releasing smoketrails from said airplanes and controlling the length and placement ofthe several smoke trails by a patterned record in each airplane, andmanually controlling the starting times of the several patterned recordsso that the several airplanes begin their smoke trail formation atsubstantially the same time, the smoke trails released by the severalairplanes being contiguous and parallel and cooperating to formsuccessive individual letters or symbols.

14. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means ofcontiguous and parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality ofairplanes arranged to fly in formation and in substantially parallelpaths, smoke trail releasing mechanism in each plane, means, including amovable patterned record in each plane, connected to said smoke trailreleasing mechanism, for controlling the operation thereof, and means,put into operation manually, for controlling the starting times of theseveral records, whereby all the airplanes start to release smoke trailsas determined by the pattern on said record, each smoke trail forming apart of a letter as determined by the patter on said record, said smoketrails being contiguous and parallel and cooperating to form successiveindividual letters or symbols.

15. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means ofcontiguous and parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality ofairplanes arranged to fly in formation and in substantially parallelpaths, smoke trail releasing mechanism in each plane, means, including amovable patterned record in each plane connected to said smoke trailreleasing mechanism, for controlling the operation thereof, and manuallypresettable means, for controlling the starting times of the severalpatterned records, so that all the airplanes start to release smoketrails as determined by the pattern o said record, each smoke trailforming a part of a letter as determined by the pattern on said record,said smoke trails being contiguous and parallel and cooperating to formsuccessive individual letters or symbols.

16. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means ofcontiguous and parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality ofairplanes arranged to fly in substantially parallel paths, each planebeing provided with the following: a patterned record divided intolongitudinal, indicia-carrying zones each of said zones corresponding toa portion of the finished letter or symbol, smoke trail releasingmechanism, means, including a variably positionable pick-up member,positionable to cooperate with the indicia in a particular longitudinalzone of the record, for operatively connecting the record and the smoketrail releasing mechanism, and means, put into operation manually, forcontrolling the starting time of the record; all of the patternedrecords being started so that all the airplanes start to release smoketrails as determined by the pattern on the record, said smoke trailsbeing contiguous and parallel and cooperating to form successiveindividual letters or symb ols.

17. Apparatus for forming letters or symbols in the air by means ofcontiguous and parallel smoke trails, comprising a plurality ofairplanes arranged to fly in substantially parallel paths, each planebeing provided with the following: a patterned record divided intolongitudinal, indicia-carrying zones each of said zones corresponding toa portion of the finished letter or symbol, smoke trail releasingmechanism, means, including a variably positionable pick-up member,positionable to cooperate with the indicia in a particular longitudinalzone of the record, for operatively connecting the record and the smoketrail releasing mechanism, and manually presettable means forcontrolling the starting time of the record; all of the patternedrecords being started so that all the airplanes start to release smoketrails as determined by the pattern on the record, said smoke trailsbeing contiguous and parallel and cooperating to form successive JOHN T.REMEY.

